Barrel



UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RANDALL J. VVYll/IOND AND JOE S. IVYMOND, OF AURORA, INDIANA.

BARREL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,525, dated February 28, 1899.

Application filed October 12,1898. Serial No. 693,337. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, RANDALL J. WYMOND and JOE S. WYMOND, citizens of the United States, residing at Aurora, in the county of Dearborn and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Barrels; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inven tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

This invention relates to barrels and like vessels, and contemplates the production of improved hoops which encircle the vessel at its weakest point, and thereby effectually prevent breakage of the staves and consequent loss of or damage to the contents.

The invention is more directly concerned with the type of barrel employed to contain spirituous liquors, such as whisky, which is subjected to great strain while the liquor is maturing in the warehouse and which from the internal pressure frequently breaks at the bilge or weakest point.

The nature of the invention, which is an efiectual remedy for the above-stated difficulty, will be found to be fully set forth in the following detailed description, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which is shown in perspective view a barrel of the bilge typeprovided with our improved hoops.

On the barrel A, at intervals intermediate of the center and ends, are hoops b b of the usual construction, and at the center or bilge portion is the usual bunghole, shown as closed by a bung 0. Our improved hoops are lettered D D. Each of said improved hoops is made from a stout band of steel or other equivalent material, the ends of the band being lapped and secured by rivets d d, and at this lapped portion, which is the point of greatest strength by reason of the double thickness of material, the hoop is cut away to provide a recess cl.

In practice two of our improved hoops are driven on the barrel, one from each end, and the diameter of the hoops is preferably such as compared with that of the bilge as will prevent the hoops from being at first driven together in order to allow of further tightening of the hoops to compensate for subse quent shrinkage. In driving the hoops the recesses 01 d are brought opposite the bung, and there is thus no interference with the removal of the latter even when through shrinkage the hoops are brought sufficiently close to contact with each other.

The location of the hoops at the bilge effectually protects the barrel at its weakest point against breakage, and thereby over comes all of the. difficulties heretofore experienced in maturing spirituous liquors.

Our invention, though of great benefit in the art, is extremely simple, and the hoops may be produced at such a small expense as will not add materially to the cost of a barrel. Moreover, the hoops may be employed in recoopering old barrels.

WVe claim as our invention- 1. A barrel having at its bilge portion two hoops normally separated from each other and each provided at its inner side opposite the bung with a recess, whereby in recoopering said hoops may be driven together without interfering with the removal of the bung, substantially as described.

2. A hoop for the bilge portion of barrels and the like having a diameter which will permit of its being normally driven short of In testimony whereof we affix our signa tures in presence of two witnesses.

RANDALL J. WYMOND. JOE S. WYMOND. Witnesses:

FRED. W. ISSELHARDT, B. F. VEINDEGRIFT. 

